Shoulder pad



Patented May 18, 1948 i! FCE 12,441,785, snoULnEn.PAD Florence nzacks, columbus,- ohio Original*` application. December 21, 1946, Serial Noi. 7117,63?, now Patent No. 2,422,161, dated June-f 10,- 19.47. 'Dividedl andfths applicationA May.12, .1947.,-Serial No. 747,460',

Although it will be perceived from the detailed! disclosure of the novel pad: that its. use is not to be so circumscribed or limited, it may be mentioned that the pad is particularly adapted@ for` use as anindependentlyesupported article of' apparel, which is not attached to the garment to which it gives shape. One example of this type of pad is designed to be detachably secured by various means to the shoulder straps of an undergarment, and this manner of attachment has a number of advantages over the conventional seWed-in type of pad, among which is the overcoming of difculties of removal and restoration when the garment is cleaned or pressed.

Another` advantageous feature of the invention lies in the fact that the padding material in the present pad may be made softer and lighter than usual in view of the shape-maintaining reinforcing means employed. Furthermore, the reinforcing or supporting frame is pliant, although slightly resilient, and may be bent to shape during the conforming or molding of the pad to the individual shoulder, and remain in such -shape during wear.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shoulder pad which is light, inexpensive, and adaptable to a large variety of garments.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by wayof example.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a bottom plan View of a shoulder pad embodying the principles of the present invention; y Figure 2 is a sectional view of the'pad taken online 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the pad shown in Figure 1.

In orderto more fully disclose the invention, a particular embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying dra-wings, in which there is illustr'ated a padl Illlle'd with a brous material H". The pad II) maybe' of lthe usual or conventional shape given to most padseof this description and the` brous material I-I, While generally extremelyli'g-ht and fluily in nature, may be composed of any one of a mixture of the materials-now inv common usev in producing pads for garments. A rsupport or shape-maintaining member |2l is positioned! within the pad I Il as shown inv Figures 1 and 2. In the particular embodiment disclosed herein, this skeletal support member'l 2,.as shown, is a metal wire having a somewhat triangular outlineJ andhaving. a curved shape alongv one edge: of` thevtriangle. Thereare a variety of materialsfwhiclrmay-beemployedV as a support member' andi which may be fashioned in a variety of shapes. The support member I.2`-functions both asan element for imparting form to the` pad I0 as Well as an element to retain the shape of the pad when subject to the tension of straps or tapes when such are used, as hereinafter described, It is also most desirable for all uses that the support member I2 have a certain amount of resiliency or springiness, but it is essential that it be pliant so as to be yet capable of being bent in order to shape the pad to fit the shoulder and to remain in the conguration into which it is bent so as to give the desired outline to the garment.

On therunder side I 4 of the pad I0, a pair of straps or tapes I5-I5 is shown, each of which' has one end seWed to the under side I4, as shown at I6, and the other end, as shown at I8, detachably fastened to the under side I 4 of the pad by Vmeans of suitable snap fasteners. The straps or tapes I5-I5 are preferably composed of an elastic material andthe snap fasteners I8 are so positioned relative to the sewed end of the tapes I5-I5 that it is necessary to stretch the tapes in order to fasten them on the pad, thus tensioning them in position.

As in the case of the usual shoulder pad of this description, the pad shown in Figures 1 and 2 contains a maximum amount of fibrous material Il, or padding, at the outer shoulder end I9,Y the padding decreasing gradually to a minimum at the inner end 2li which is disposed nearest the neck. In order to position the shoulder pad on the shoulder of the wearer, the garment strapZI, as shown in Figure 3, is passed y between the retaining tapes I -I 5 and the under side I4 of the pad. Y

by he fastening of the tapes |5l5, and thus j also resists or offsets the tension stresses caused pre ents the collapsing or distortion which would occur in a case of the soft yieldablepad preferred in this connection.

A number of variations and alterations in the above described embodiment of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

of soft yieldable padding material decreasing somewhat in thickness toward the above mentioned inward apex portion, a fabric covering for said padding, and la reinforcing support member consisting of a pliant, deformable, somewhat resilient wire of substantially endless configuration conforming to the complete marginal contour of the pad including the triangular and the convex outline thereof, said Wire being contained within said fabric covering, the whole comprising a conformable shoulder pad which may be molded to the shape of the individual shoulder. Y

2. In a shoulder pad arrangement of the class described, a body member'of a roughly triangu- ,lar Contour in plan, one apex portion adapted to be-disposed toward the neck of the wearer and For example, the shape of the pad may be con! siderably altered and rounded contours imparted thereto as is frequently customary in pads of th'is type. The reinforcing support member may be alteredY not only as to material and cross-sectional configuration, but also as to its shape :and the manner of support within the pad.

In summary, the present invention resides in the shoulder pad which is capable of retaining its position upon the -shoulder of the wearer, isnot deformed by the attachment means, and is readily adjustable and conformable to varying shoulder configurations. Furthermore, this improvedshoulder pad is light, comfortable, and easily manufactured.

l What is claimed is:

1. In a. shoulder pad arrangement of the class described, a body member of a roughly tri-angular contour in plan, one apex portion adapted to be disposed toward the neck of the wearer and an upwardly convex outward margin adapted to be positioned adjacent the outer edge of the shoulder, said body portion comprising a mass an upwardly convex outward margin adapted to be 'positioned adjacent th'e outerV edge of the shoulder, said body portion comprising a mass of soft yieldable padding material, a fabriccovering for said padding, and a reinforcingsupport member consisting of a pliant, deformable, somewhat resilient wire of substantially endless configuration conforming to the complete marginal contour of the pad including the triangular and the convex outline thereof, said wire being contained within said fabric covering, the whole comprising a conformable shoulder padwhich may be molded Vto the shape of the individual shoulder.

FLORENCE B. ZACKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED 'STATES PATENTS Name Date Zacks June 19, 1947 Number 

